+- Apnea Board Forum - CPAP | Sleep Apnea (https://www.apneaboard.com/forums)
+-- Forum: Public Area (https://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Forum-Public-Area)
+--- Forum: Main Apnea Board Forum (https://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Forum-Main-Apnea-Board-Forum)
+--- Thread: Changing CPAP machine in attempt to resolve bloating and gas (/Thread-Changing-CPAP-machine-in-attempt-to-resolve-bloating-and-gas)
Changing CPAP machine in attempt to resolve bloating and gas - elwoodpdowd - 08-14-2020
I'm a member of a FB support group for CPAP users and there is a member that has been advised to change from a Resmed (type unknown) to the Dreamstation to resolve the effects of bloating and gas. They were told that it's the Resmed's algorithm that could be causing the issue and the Dreamstation's algorithm should help.
This person was told by many including myself that we doubt that this will resolve this condition. Everyone's input was pretty well the same. They could be a mouth breather, pressure too high, pressure too low etc. This person also believes that their weight gain is totally related to this issue.
Has anyone else ever heard of switching machines/brands to alleviate this condition? I get it if a machine maybe malfunctioning but I think that their DME is not helping.
I also mentioned that they should go to their doctor as there maybe other underlying issues not related to their sleep disorder.
RE: Changing CPAP machine in attempt to resolve bloating and gas - OpalRose - 08-14-2020
Bloating and gas (aerophagia) is typically caused from swallowing air. Could be from mouth breathing.
Although ResMed's algorithm is more aggressive than the DreamStations, I doubt it would make much difference.
The logical thing to do is stick with his current machine and learn how to combat this issue. He/she could google the subject of aerophagia and find many helpful articles.
Sometimes, switching to Cpap mode at a lower pressure, then watching the numbers and the bloating. Then slowly raise the pressure a little each day and observe.
Lower pressure plus the use of EPR often helps. Although, it may be a trade off between optimal therapy (higher AHI) and not having to deal with air swallowing.
RE: Changing CPAP machine in attempt to resolve bloating and gas - Sleeprider - 08-14-2020
The Resmed Airsense 10 Autoset algorithm is actually better for aerophagia because of the way pressure is delivered and EPR. Based on your profile, you are using a fixed pressure of 8.0. How about posting a screenshot of your therapy and letting us help? I think we can use an autoset mode with EPR to help you be much more comfortable.
RE: Changing CPAP machine in attempt to resolve bloating and gas - elwoodpdowd - 08-14-2020
My post was about someone else who I believe is being misinformed by her DME. She’s been told about the ResMed is the “gold standard” as well as been given links and references about aerophagia.
I doubt I would get any data from her.
I was only wondering if switching machines was real thing to fix aerophagia.
RE: Changing CPAP machine in attempt to resolve bloating and gas - Gideon - 08-14-2020
A yacht payment AND a switch to a new machine with different (lower) settings may help. But first try
A switch to different (lower) settings on the existing machine and you should see the same results.
RE: Changing CPAP machine in attempt to resolve bloating and gas - Hydrangea - 08-15-2020
I am extremely susceptible to aerophagia. Here are the things I've done to help prevent it:
- Use the lowest pressures that still adequately treat my apnea.
- Keep my head *and shoulders* elevated, so my wind pipe fights gravity. (I don't want gravity taking the air into my stomach.)
- Sleep on my side. I forget which side is more prone to the air getting trapped. But one of the sides is more prone to trapping the air, so try not to sleep on that side nor your back.
RE: Changing CPAP machine in attempt to resolve bloating and gas - Sleepster - 08-15-2020
Within the first two weeks of CPAP therapy they switched me to a bi-level (BiPAP) machine to treat my aerophagia.
RE: Changing CPAP machine in attempt to resolve bloating and gas - Hydrangea - 08-15-2020
(08-15-2020, 09:47 AM)Sleepster Wrote: Within the first two weeks of CPAP therapy they switched me to a bi-level (BiPAP) machine to treat my aerophagia.
Wow! You had a doctor who cared!!!
How did it treat the aerophagia? Was it the lower EPAP that helped?
RE: Changing CPAP machine in attempt to resolve bloating and gas - elwoodpdowd - 08-21-2020
Just an update, the person I was talking about did change to a DreamStation (model unknown) and has stated that the bloating and gas has been reduced. Still having slight issues but better.
This person was taken to task as to why the change when adjustments could be made both on the machine and mask/chinstrap. The response was that it was changed by their doctor not by them.
Nothing more has been said but leaves me to think that either there maybe a cause and effect between the previous ResMed and the DreamStation this person could be presently using. It could also be a panacea and more of a placebo effect.
I will update if anything else is arises.
RE: Changing CPAP machine in attempt to resolve bloating and gas - Sleepster - 08-21-2020
(08-15-2020, 11:53 AM)Hydrangea Wrote: How did it treat the aerophagia? Was it the lower EPAP that helped?
My understanding is that the lower EPAP is supposed to help with the aerophagia. I started off with a CPAP at a fixed pressure of 13, then they changed me to a BiPAP with fixed pressures of 13/8. That made my CA index go up so they changed the pressure to 11/8. After that I took control of the pressure settings and started experimenting with lower pressures. Then I found a ResMed VPAP Auto on craigslist and eventually upgraded to the ResMed AirCurve VAuto with the pressure settings shown in my profile.